Grapevine Rootstock & Clone Options

Definitions

• Grapevine rootstocks are the types of cultivars that grow into specific kinds of grapes, and they are selected based on the kind of wine the grower is wishing to bottle and sell. Rootstocks should not be thought of only in terms of producing set characteristics in all conditions. Rather, they should be thought of as species that thrive in certain conditions as opposed to others and produce a characteristic taste when those conditions are present. Grapevine clones are genetically exact copies of rootstocks. Cloning offers the option of cultivating grapevines of the same kind on a large scale with no worries of differences arising. Another appealing aspect of clones is the potential production of new rootstocks in areas where they once did poorly. If a single vine of a species does well in conditions it normally would die in, clones can be made and used on a wide scale for making a cultivar that grows in new conditions.

Location

• Location plays a large role in the growth of grapes and the taste of the wine that will be the end product. Two factors of location are important: climate and soil conditions. Chardonnay, for instance, grows best in cool climates and in soil rich in limestone. Cabernet sauvignon grows best in climates that are not too cold but not too hot. They thrive in gravelly soils. Like chardonnay, pinot noir grapes do well in cool climates and in limestone-rich soil. Location does not determine the taste of a wine, but then, neither does the cultivar totally determine the taste. It is the combination of a desired grapevine rootstock grown in the right area.

Market Appeal

• Individuals and companies that grow grapes must choose their grapevine rootstocks and grapevine clones not only on the basis of the type that will grow best where they are located, but also on the basis of what has good market appeal. If popularity is not taken into consideration, a wine may end up produced on a large scale that no decent base of consumers will buy. If money is to be made rather than lost, attention must be paid to current trends. For example, those wines that sell the most in the California region are chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir. A grower in this area might take into account the steady popularity of these wines and choose to grow them rather than cultivars that would be developed into wines that sell less.

Pests and Hardiness

• A final point that must be taken into consideration by those who grow grapes commercially is the ability of a given grapevine rootstock and its clones to grow healthy in the proper conditions. Certain rootstocks may naturally be resistant to some diseases, but in general, clones hold the most promise of developing properly, as they are genetically cultivated in such a way as to weed out problems typical to the particular cultivar. Rootlouse phylloxera, for example, is a major problem for Vitis vinifera cultivars planted in the Eastern United States. Rootstocks and clones are now produced that are resistant to the pest. Information on different grapevine rootstock and clones' resistance to various diseases and pests can be obtained at the time they are purchased or taken from another grower.